. 


►css  own©  association 
Davenport  la. 


\\ 


Davenport,  Iowa;  \ts 

location  sod  business 
advantages. 


Return  this  book  on  or  before  the 
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LIBRARY 
OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2017  with  funding  from 

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LIBRARY 

OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF  IIJJNO' 


-COURT  HOUSE. 


DAVENPORT,  IOWA, 


ITS  LOCATION  AND 


BUSINESS  ADVANTAGES, 


COMPILED  AND  ISSUED  BY 

The  Business  Men’s 
Association. 


1894. 


DAVENPORT,  IOWA  : 

THE  DEMOCRAT  COMPANY, 

PRINTERS. 


SECOND  STREET  Looking;  West  From  Brady. 


JUN2  0 1934  Howard  Merc- Lib  4 fi  3 


°i 


m 


The  Business  Men’s  Association 


HE  DESIGN  of  this  little  book  is  to  furnish 
strangers,  especially  those  seeking  a location  for 
manufacturing  or  other  business  enterprises,  reli- 
able information  concerning  Davenport.  It  is 
prepared  and  circulated  by  the  Business  Men's  Associa- 
tion, an  organization  of  Two  Hundred  and  Fifty  leading 
business  and  professional  men  of  the  city  who  lend  their  counsel 
and  influence  toward  furthering  the  prosperity  and  growth  of 
Davenport. 

The  matter  presented  and  the  information  herein  given  have 
been  prepared  with  great  care,  and  it  is  confidently  asserted 
that  no  wild  assertions  have  been  made.  It  is  thus  presented 
to  a candid,  thinking  public,  in  the  hope  that  it  will  invite 
investigation. 


868039 


6 


BUSINESS  ADVANTAGES  OF 


Davenport.  History  is  not  the  mission  of  this  little 
book,  though  to  write  the  chronicles  of  so 
interesting  a city  would  be  a splendid  pleasure.  It  is  the 
Davenport  of  to-day  that  is  held  up  to  view.  Men  of  enterprise 
and  affairs  live  and  move  and  act  in  the  swift-moving  currents 
of  the  present.  Davenport’s  location  in  the  grandest  valley  on 
the  globe;  progress  and  municipal  growth;  commercial  and 
manufacturing  advantages;  educational,  literary  and  charitable 
features;  avenues  for  trade  and  investment  — these  and  other 
deversified  interests  are  herein  set  forth.  These  pages  picture 
busy  life  among  busy  men  in  a busy  city. 

Location.  Davenport  is  admirably  located  on  the  west 
bank  of  the  great  river  of  the  continent  — in 
the  heart  of  the  magnificent  Mississippi  Valley.  It  is  181  miles 
west  of  Chicago;  318  miles  east  of  Omaha,  322  miles  north  of 
St.  Louis,  and  397  miles  south  of  St.  Paul.  It  is  opposite 
the  most  beautiful  island  that  divides  the  Mississippi  — an 
island  richly  adorned  by  nature,  proudly  embellished  by  the 
genius  of  man,  and  made  historic  by  exciting  scenes  and 
memorable  associations.  On  this  island  the  national  govern- 
ment has  developed  abundant  water-power,  erected  great  work- 
shops and  arsenal,  and  expended  more  than  Ten  Million  Dollars. 

Climate.  The  climate  of  this  locality  is  varied,  but 

exceptionally  healthy  and  invigorating, 
and  embraces  in  each  twelve  months  the  four  distinct  seasons. 
The  following  statistics  are  taken  from  the  records  of  the 
United  States  Weather  Bureau  office  in  this  city  for  the  past 
twenty-two  years  : The  mean  annual  temperature  of  Daven- 
port is  49°.  The  average  temperature  for  spring,  48°;  for 
summer,  72°;  for  autumn,  52°;  and  for  winter,  24°.  The 
highest  temperature  recorded  is  98° ; the  lowest  27°  below 


DAVENPORT,  IOWA. 


i 

zero.  The  average  annual  rainfall  is  35  inches;  the  greatest 
amount  in  any  year  was  47  inches  in  1876;  the  least,  23  inches 
in  1886.  The  average  number  of  fair  days  in  a year  is  256; 
cloudy,  109;  rainy  (with  appreciable  rainfall),  120.  The 
average  relative  humidity  is  65  per  cent.  The  average  velocity 
of  the  wind  is  from  6 to  8 miles  per  hour,  and  the  highest 
velocity  ever  attained  was  60  miles  per  hour.  The  prevailing 
direction  of  wind  is  southwest  during  the  summer  months, 
and  northwest  during  the  winter  months.  The  average  last 
killing  frost  in  spring  is  April  25;  the  average  first  killing 
frost  in  autumn  is  October  14.  Snow  usually  covers  the 
ground  during  the  greater  part  of  the  mid-winter  months. 

Population.  Davenport  has  not  made  rapid  strides  in 
populations  and  has  had  no  booms  — those 
short-lived  and  undesirable  infections.  The  growth  has  been 
regular  and  steady.  The  population  to-day  is  believed  to  be 
40,000,  by  those  whose  estimate  has  a basis  in  actual  knowledge. 
The  city  now  has  a thrift  and  business  impetus  that  promise  to 
far  exceed  the  past.  The  Davenport  of  the  future  must  be  the 
principal  city  of  Imperial  Iowa. 

A Davenport,  according  to  mortality  returns, 

Healthy  is  one  of  the  healthiest  cities  in  the  Union. 

City.  The  death-rate  has  been  less  than  two  per 

cent,  per  annum  for  years.  Not  only  does 
an  invigorating  climate  give  it  pre-eminence  over  most  cities, 
but  the  city’s  supply  of  pure,  filtered  water  is  abundant;  the 
surface  drainage  is  good  naturally ; and  the  sewer  system,  the 
result  of  the  best  sanitary  engineering,  reaches  the  suburbs  as 
wrell  as  the  thickly  settled  sections  of  the  city.  Health  affairs 
are  managed  by  a non-partisan  Board  of  Health,  that  works  in 


8 


BUSINESS  ADVANTAGES  OF 


harmony  with  state  and  national  associations,  and  is  tireless  in 
the  performance  of  exacting  duties.  The  enforcement  of  proper 
sanitary  regulations  is  immediate  and  certain. 


Educational.  Davenport  is  justly  proud  of  a public 
school  system  that  will  bear  the  closest 
scrutiny  and  comparison  with  the  best  in  the  country.  They 
have  long  borne  an  enviable  reputation  for  excellence,  modern 
methods  and  thoroughness  of  instruction.  The  buildings, 
eleven  in  number,  are  constructed  on  approved  plans  and  of  the 
best  of  materials.  They  are  supplied  with  modern  furnishings 
and  all  that  tends  to  an  elevating  and  refining  influence.  They 
are  thoroughly  organized  and  graded  in  every  department,  and 
only  capable  and  experienced  persons  are  employed  as  instruc- 
tors. Popular  and  progressive  features  of  the  system  are  a 


WATER  COMPANY  FILTERS. 


DAVENPORT,  IOWA. 


9 


High  School,  a Normal  and  Practice  School  for  the  training  of 
teachers,  evening  schools,  kindergarten  departments,  a well- 
equipped  Manual  Training  School  for  boys  and  a Cooking  School 
for  girls.  In  addition  to  the  excellent  public  schools  there  are 
many  private  schools  of  a high  grade.  Griswold  College  and 
Kemper  Hall,  for  boys,  and  St.  Katharine’s  Hall,  for  girls  are 
under  the  management  of  the  Episcopal  church.  The  Roman 


ONE  OF  ELEVEN  SCHOOL  BUILDINGS. 


Catholics  have  St.  Ambrose  Seminary  for  boys,  Immaculate 
Conception  Academy  for  girls,  and  several  excellent  primary 
and  intermediate  parochial  schools.  Fine  opportunitv  to  secure 
a practical  education  is  afforded  by  the  Davenport  Business 
College  and  the  Tri-City  Commercial  College.  Several  well- 
equipped  kindergartens  are  doing  the  little  people  a world  of 


10 


BUSINESS  ADVANTAGES  OF 


good.  The  interests  of  music,  art,  literature  and  the  drama  are 
honored,  appreciated  and  cultivated  by  our  citizens.  A city 
that  fosters  the  best  of  good  schools  is  certain  to  be  a city  of 
good  homes,  of  polite  society,  of  inteligence  and  refinement. 

Parks  and  Davenport  is  well  to  the  front  in  those 

Improvements,  public  measures  which  bring  adornment  as 
well  as  prosperity  to  cities.  A special  an- 
nual tax  for  the  improvement  of  parks  has  been  voted  by  the 
people.  These  beautifiers  of  the  city,  so  essential  to  public 
health  and  comforts  are  becoming  more  attractive  every  year. 
During  the  coming  season  a new  one  will  be  laid  out  in  the 
eastern  part  of  the  city. 

All  the  business  and  most  of  the  residence  streets  are  paved. 
Several  miles  of  substantial  brick  pavement  have  been  laid  in 
the  past  two  years,  and  so  universal  is  the  demand  for  perma- 
nent street  improvement  that  each  succeeding  year  sees  more 
and  more  of  this  work  completed.  Good  roads  and  well-kept 
highways  are  not  neglected  by  wise,  thorough-going  city- 
builders. 

Real  There  is  no  more  reliable  indication  of  a 

Estate.  city’s  growth  and  prosperity  than  a steady 

increase  in  the  value  of  real  estate.  In  this 
line  of  activity  prospective  investors  must  distinguish  between 
a boom  and  a healthy  growth  in  values.  The  transactions  in 
real  estate  in  this  city  have  been  of  such  a character  as  to  con- 
vince the  intelligent  observer  of  the  desirableness  of  Davenport 
realty  as  a safe  investment.  Sales  are  made  for  legitimate,  not 
purely  speculative  purposes,  and  prices  are  on  a solid  basis. 
The  advance  in  value  has  been  in  all  cases  the  result  of  advance 
in  wealth  and  prosperity.  Suitable  and  advantagious  sites  for 


DAVENPORT,  IOWA. 


11 


MASONIC  TEMPLE 


12 


BUSINESS  ADVANTAGES  OF 


manufacturing  purposes  can  be  bought  at  nominal  prices. 
Desirable  business  and  residence  property,  needing  only  proper 
improvement  to  make  it  profitable,  can  be  secured  at  reasonable 
rates. 

In  real  estate  investments,  as  in  trade  and  commerce,  the 
future  of  the  city  is  not  to  be  lost  sight  of.  A future  of  growth 
and  prosperity  must  bring  the  investor  sure  profits  in  a rise  in 
values. 

Trade.  Davenport  has  a large  trade  in  proportion 

to  its  population.  Its  position  as  a trade 
center  has  fostered  and  established  this  line  of  business.  Re- 
liable commercial  reports  show  that  the  city  has  a great 
annually-increasing  wholesale  trade.  The  jobbers  during  the 
past  year  handled  goods  to  the  amount  of  more  than  $7,000,000. 
The  city’s  superior  location  and  transportation  facilities  have 
made  it  possible  to  do  this  volume  of  business  easily  and  suc- 
cessfully. The  principal  lines  represented  by  Davenport’s 
wholesale  houses  are:  Groceries,  Dry  Goods,  Hardware,  Drugs, 
Crockery,  Butter  and  Eggs,  Packing  House  Products,  Clothing, 
Woolen  Goods,  Furniture,  Mixed  Paints,  Teas,  Coffee,  Spices, 
Boots  and  Shoes. 

Manufactures.  A city  whose  manufacturing  interests  have 
grown  up  as  those  of  Davenport  have  is 
certainly  on  a safe  foundation  as  a manufacturing  center.  The 
success  that  has  attended  them  in  the  past  goes  far  to  prove  the 
advantages  which  the  city  offers  the  manufacturer  as  a location 
for  his  factory.  The  location  is  good  for  collecting  raw  material 
and  for  distributing  manufactured  products.  The  value  of 
the  output  last  year  was  something  over  $8,000,000.00;  while 
the  number  of  hands  employed  was  nearly  Four  Thousand. 


CRYSTAL  ICE  AND  COLD  STORAGE  WORKS. 


DAVENPORT,  IOWA. 


13 


14 


BUSINESS  ADVANTAGES  OF 


The  bulk  of  the  manufacturing  is  in  staple  articles  such  as  flour, 
lumber,  vinegar,  syrups,  canned  goods,  threshing  machines, 
agricultural  implements,  cutlery,  crackers,  artistic  woodwork, 
etc.,  which  are  distributed  over  the  entire  country.  It  is  certain 
that  the  city  is  unequalled  in  the  number  and  variety  of  its 
small  manufactures.  Some  of  these  useful  and  valuable  pro- 
ducts are : 


Agricultural  Implements 

Flour 

Refrigerators 

Artificial  Stone 

Files 

Rubber  Stamps 

Awnings 

Fire  Apparatus 

Sash,  Doors  and  Blinds 

Bags 

Furs 

Scales 

Bank  and  Office  Fixtures 

Furniture 

Scissors 

Barrels 

Gloves 

Shingles 

Baskets 

Glucose 

Shoes 

Beer 

Hats 

Shears 

Blank  Books 

Hair  Goods 

Shirts 

Boats  and  Barges 

Harness 

Show  Cases 

Boxes 

Horse  Collars 

Sleighs 

Boilers 

Iron  Fences 

Sleigh  Runners 

Brick 

Ladders 

Slippers 

Broom  8 

Lath 

Soap 

Brushes 

Leather 

Spices 

Bungs 

Lumber 

Stairs 

Candy 

Macaroni 

Stair  Builder’s  Supplies 

Canned  Goods 

Machinery 

Steam  Engines 

Carpets 

Malt 

Stencils 

Carpet  Looms 

Match  Boxes 

Stove  Polish 

Carriages 

Mattresses 

Straw  Goods 

Castings  (Iron  and  Brass) 

Mixed  Paints 

Syrups 

Ceylon  Tea 

Monuments 

Tents 

Cheese 

Mustard 

Tobacco 

Churns 

Overalls 

Threshing  Machines 

Cigars 

Pants 

Trunks  and  Valises 

Cigar  Boxes 

Paste 

Vermicelli 

Cigar  Makers’  Supplies 

Paper  Bags 

Vinegar 

Cloaks 

Patterns  and  Models 

Wagons 

Clothing 

Pickles 

Wagon  Axels  (in  one  piece) 

Cordage 

Pianos 

Wheels  (Metallic) 

Crackers 

Piano  Trucks 

Washing  Machines 

Cultivators 

Plating 

Window  Shades 

Electrical  Equipments 

Plows 

Wine 

Electrotypes  and  Engravings 

Pork 

Wood  Mantels 

Feed 

Pumps 

Wooden  Shoes 

Flavoring  Extracts 

Reed  Furniture 

Woolen  Goods 

DAVENPORT  SYRUP  REFINERY. 


16 


Syrup 

Refinery. 


BUSINESS  ADVANTAGES  OF 


Syrup  Davenport  has  the  largest  glucose  manu- 

Refinery.  facturing  establishment  in  the  west,  if  not 
in  the  whole  country.  These  works  employ 
regularly  many  hundred  men.  Its  business  amounts  to  almost 
a Million  Dollars  annually.  They  furnish  a ready  and  con- 
venient market  for  nearly  6,000  bushels  of  corn  daily,  or  more 
than  a million  and  a half  bushels  annually.  The  benefit  of  this 
refinery  to  Davenport  and  the  surrounding  farming  country,  in 
furnishing  a good  market  for  corn  needs  only  to  be  mentioned. 
This  plant  in  its  original  cost,  its  annual  extensions,  and  general 
improvements  represents  a capital  of  nearly  Half  a Million 
Dollars. 


ACADEMY  OF  NATURAL  SCIENCES. 


DAVENPORT,  IOWA. 


17 


Lumber.  Davenport  annually  manufactures  vast 

quantities  of  lumber.  Four  large  saw  mills 
are  in  operation  all  season,  giving  employment  to  a Thousand 
hands  who  receive  something  more  than  $300,000.00  in  wages. 
The  amount  invested  in  these  mills  is  about  $700,000.00. 
They  cut  80,000,000  feet  of  lumber  each  year,  and  2,500,000 
lath  and  shingles. 

Davenport  capital  and  enterprise  are  bringing  from  the  great 
hard-wood  forests  of  the  south,  immense  supplies  of  material  for 
the  construction  of  farm  machinery,  builders’  special  supplies, 
and  decorative  wood-work. 

Business.  Davenport’s  percentage  of  failures  in  bus- 
iness is  the  smallest  of  any  city  in  the 
United  States.  The  commercial  agencies  report  that  the  aver- 
age percentage  of  failures  in  the  whole  country  last  year  was 
.0085.  In  Iowa  it  was  .0052.  This  city  has  not  had  a business 
failure  for  many  years.  This  speaks  well  and  eloquently  for 
any  community,  and  shows  that  methods  of  prudence  and 
sagacity  prevail  in  establishing  business  on  a bed-rock  of 
security. 

Water  Works.  Davenport  has,  without  any  exception,  the 
most  complete  system  of  Water- Works, 
both  for  fire  protection  and  for  sanitary  purposes,  of  any  city 
in  the  west.  The  system  comprehends  a magnificent  plant,  the 
product  of  the  best  engineering  skill,  and  costing  a round  mil- 
lion dollars.  The  works  were  planned  and  built  by  ex-Mayor 
Michael  Donahue,  and  are  owned  by  a private  corporation  of 
Davenport  citizens,  and  have  no  bonded  debt  — a fact  that 
bears  its  own  business  moral. 

The  supply  of  pure  and  wholesome  water  is  taken  from  the 


18 


BUSINESS  ADVANTAGES  OF 


Mississippi  river  by  direct  pumping  from  a conduit  extending 
under  the  bed  of  the  river  about  seven  hundred  feet  to  the  chan- 
nel, where  the  water  runs  over  solid  rock  for  many  miles. 
Being  free  from  contamination  of  any  sort,  its  purity  is  assured. 


PUMPING  STATION  No.  2.  Reservoir. 


The  works  comprise  two  pumping  stations  of  superior  construc- 
tion, a reservoir  with  a capacity  of  5,000,000  gallons,  thirty - 
three  miles  of  cast-iron  pipe  water-mains  fiom  four  to  sixteen 
inches  in  diameter,  and  304  public  and  15  private  fire  hydrants. 


DAVENPORT,  IOWA. 


19 


The  consumption  is  over  3,000,000  gallons  daily.  The  filter- 
plant  recently  added  to  these  works  is  a model  of  complete 
machinery.  The  actual  capacity  of  these  filters  is  over  7,500,- 
000  gallons  per  24  hours.  This  is  double  the  size  of  any  other 
filter  plant  now  in  use.  It  is  the  most  expensive  as  well  as  the 
largest  mechanical  filter  plant  in  the  world.  This  grand  im- 
provement, due  to  the  enterprise  and  public  spirit  of  the  owners 
who  determined  to  supply  the  best  and  purest  water  in  the 
world,  cost  $125,000.00. 

During  the  past  year  more  than  five  miles  of  mains  were 
laid,  and  fifty-one  new  fire  hydrants  were  set.  The  system  is 
without  a blemish  — our  pride  and  protection. 

Davenport  also  has  five  artesian  wells,  whose  supply  of  pure 
water  is  ample.  Three  of  them  at  the  glucose  works  flow  2,000 
gallons  per  minute. 

Railroad  Davenport  has  fine  railroad  facilities.  It  is  the 
Facilities.  distributing  center  of  the  four  great  divisions 
of  the  great  Chicago,  Rock  Island  & Pacific 
Railway,  with  scores  of  daily  trains;  of  two  divisions  of  the 
Chicago,  Milwaukee  & St.  Paul  Railway,  and  of  one  division  of 
the  Burlington,  Cedar  Rapids  & Northern  Railway.  The  Chi- 
cago, Burlington  & Quincy  Railway,  and  the  Rock  Island  & 
Peopia  Railway  are  also  tributaries  to  Davenport,  and  have 
local  freight  and  passenger  offices  in  the  city.  These  lines  with 
their  numerous  branches  and  affiliated  roads  extend  over  the  en- 
tire surrounding  country,  and  give  assurance  of  excellent  facili- 
ties for  the  transportation  of  our  abundant  commodities.  Other 
railroads  and  additional  bridges  are  enterprises  which  have 
passed  the  preliminary  stages  of  survey  and  discussion.  They 
are  grand  promises  of  the  city’s  welfare  and  advancement  which 
the  future  will  develop  and  complete . 


20  BUSINESS  ADVANTAGES  OF 

Street  Davenport  possesses  one  of  the  most  ex- 

Railways.  tensive  and  best  equipped  electric  railway 
systems  in  the  Mississippi  Valley.  Rapid 
transit  is  afforded  to  all  parts  of  the  city  and  quick  service  puts 
all  of  the  city  parks  and  pleasure  resorts  within  easy  access. 

The  system  comprises  18  miles  of  trackage,  most  of  which 
is  double  track,  and  30  trains  are  operated  daily  on  the  various 
lines. 


GOVERNMENT  BRIDGE.  Over  Mississippi. 


The  Thomson-Houston  system  machines  are  used  exclusively 
by  the  Street  Car  Company  and  the  management  has  spared  no 
expense  in  adopting  the  latest  improvements  for  the  benefits  of 
the  service. 

The  tracks  are  kept  clear  from  snow  during  the  winter  by 
an  electric  snow  sweeper  and  the  pavements  well  wet  down  daily 


DAVENPORT,  IOWA. 


21 


during  the  heated  and  dusty  summer  months  by  electric  street 
sprinklers  operated  on  the  street  railway  tracks. 

The  Street  Car  Company  also  owns  and  operates  the  street 
railway  line  running  over  the  government  bridge,  onto  Rock 


SAINT  KATHARINE’S  HALL. 


Island,  and  thence  over  the  wagon  bridge  to  the  City  of  Rock 
Island ; bringing  the  business  centres  of  Davenport  and  Rock 
Island  within  twenty  minutes  ride  of  each  other. 

The  bridge  line  carries  the  workmen  and  many  visitors 
daily  to  the  government  arsenal  on  Rock  Island  opposite  the 
City  of  Davenport. 


22 


BUSINESS  ADVANTAGES  OF 


Freights.  The  railroads  report  70,000  incoming  and 
outgoing  freight  cars  handled  during  the 
past  year,  making  our  railroad  traffic  for  the  year  exceed  680,000 
tons.  There  was  brought  to  and  shipped  from  this  city  as  river 
freight  about  20,000  tons,  making  a total  of  700,000  tons  of 
freight  handled  annually  by  our  transportation  companies. 
Freight  cars  to  the  number  of  187,000  crossed  the  river  at 
this  point  during  the  past  year. 

Churches.  Davenport  is  the  seat  of  the  Episcopal 
and  Roman  Catholic  sees.  Has  twenty- 
eight  churches.  Fine  edifices  have  recently  been  erected  by  the 
Christian  and  Baptist  churches.  The  Roman  Catholic  denomi- 
nation has  completed  the  erection  of  a handsome  cathedral  at  a 
cost  of  upwards  of  $100,000.00. 

Public  A fine  building,  costing  $13,000.00,  is 

Library.  dedicated  to  public  library  uses.  It  con- 

tains nearly  13,000  standard  books,  to- 
gether with  the  leading  magazines  and  reviews.  A free  reading 
room  has  been  comfortably  fitted  up  and  is  abundantly  supplied 
with  all  the  standard  periodicals. 

Fire  The  Davenport  fire  department  is  a paid 

Department,  department,  well  organized  and  completely 
equipped.  Every  essential  to  a satisfac- 
tory outfit  is  supplied.  An  electric  fire  alarm  with  stations  in 
every  part  of  the  city  makes  the  location  of  a fire  known  in- 
stantly. So  efficient  is  the  service,  and  fully  adequate  the 
water  supply,  that  a conflagration  has  not  imperiled  the  city 
since  the  establishment  of  the  present  system. 


BRADY  STREET  Looking  North  From  Second. 


24 


BUSINESS  ADVANTAGES  OF 


Academy  Davenport's  Academy  of  Natural  Sciences 
of  Sciences.  is  an  institution  that  has  won  fame  and 
world -wide  celebrity.  It  ranks  fourth 
among  institutions  of  its  kind  in  the  United  States,  and  has  re- 
ceived recognition  and  honorable  mention  from  the  best  foreign 
scientific  societies  for  its  publications.  The  academy’s  collec- 


WATER  WORKS.  Pumping  Station  No.  i. 

tion  of  Mound  relics  is  large  and  very  valuable,  embracing  rare 
specimens,  such  as  tablets  and  elephant  pipes  — mute  memorials 
of  a people  whose  monument  is  a grave  without  a name.  Its 
library  contains  thousands  of  rare  books,  scientific  treatises, 
valuable  pamphlets  and  autograph  letters. 


TRI-CITY  PACKING  & PROVISION  CO’S  WORKS. 


DAVENPORT,  IOWA. 


25 


26 


BUSINESS  ADVANTAGES  OF 


Charitable  Davenport  is  princely  in  its  charities. 

Institutions.  The  Clarissa  C.  Cook  Home  for  aged 
women,  the  Fejervary  Home  for  worthy 
men,  and  the  Industrial  Home  which  is  the  headquarters  for 
the  Ladies’  Aid  Society,  have  elegant,  commodious  buildings. 
The  Associated  Charities  is  a 11011-sectarian,  or  rather  a union 
of  all  charitable  societies.  It  is  safely  within  bounds  to  say 
that  no  city  more  efficiently  and  systematically  cares  for  its 
worthy  poor  and  unfortunate  citizens. 

Banks.  Davenport  has  four  national  and  four 

savings  banks,  all  showing  careful  man- 
agement and  resultant  prosperity.  Banking  institutions  are  the 
heart  of  a city,  and  their  extent  and  condition  tell  accurately 
the  amount  and  success  of  the  city’s  business,  the  condition  of 
its  laboring  class  and  its  prospective  development.  The  follow- 
ing are  the  correct  amounts  011  deposit  in  Davenport  banks  as 
shown  by  semi-annual  statements  for  1893: 


German  Savings,  - 

- $4,483,786.50 

Davenport  Savings,  - 

2,098,224.04 

Scott  County  Savings, 

- 1,508,099.72 

Farmers’  and  Mechanics’  Savings,  - 

223,122.90 

Citizens  National,  - 

841,873.83 

First  National,  - 

466,193.19 

Davenport  National, 

306,331.23 

Iowa  National,  - 

261,790.90 

$10,189,422.31 

DAVENPORT,  IOWA. 


27 


LIBRARY  BUILDING 


28 


BUSINESS  ADVANTAGES  OF 


Post  Office.  The  business  of  a Post  Office  is  a very  fair 
and  reliable  index  of  the  growth  and 
progress  of  a city.  These  figures  which  are  official,  merit  at- 
tention and  consideration: 


YEAR. 

GROSS  RECEIPTS. 

TOTAL  EXPENSES. 

NET  GAIN. 

! 

1870  . . 

$ 24,224.00 

$ 8,589.00 

$ 15,635.00 

1871  . . 

24,170.00 

9,400.00 

14,770.00 

1872  . . 

26,455.00 

9,962.00 

16,493.00 

1873  . . 

28,480.00 

9,945.00 

18,535.00 

1874  . . 

30,137.00 

11,004.00 

19  133.00 

1875  . . 

29,634.00 

10,866  00 

18,768.00 

1876  . . 

31,486.00 

10,890.00 

20,596.00 

1877  . . 

30,165.00 

9,093.00 

21,072.00 

1878  . . 

27,684.00 

8,792.00 

18,892.00 

1879  . . 

28,735.00 

8,864.00 

19,871.00 

1880  . . 

32,723.00 

8.905.00 

23,818.00 

1881  . . 

31,890.00 

8,998.00 

22,892.00 

1882  . . 

37,714.00 

16,149.00 

21,565.00 

1883  . . 

39,651  00 

17,237.00 

22,414.00 

1884  . . 

38,575.00 

17,267.00 

21,308.00 

1885  . . 

36,811,00 

17,421.00 

19,390.00 

1886  . . 

37,699.00 

17,026.00 

20,673.00 

1887  . . 

40,159.00 

17,449.00 

22,710.00 

1888  . . 

39,425.00 

19. 143.00 

20,282.00 

1889  . . 

46,191.00 

19,711.00 

26,480.00 

1890  . . 

52,519.00 

19,837.00 

32,682.00 

1891  . . 

56,791.00 

24,932.00 

31,859.00 

1892  . . 

60,426.00 

24,744.00 

35,682.00 

Total  Amt. 

1831,744.00 

$326,224.00 

$505,520.00 

The  total  amount  of  money  order  transactions  for  the  year 
of  1893  was  $1,218,451.96. 


EAGLE  MANUFACTURING  COMPANY’S  WORKS. 


DAVENPORT,  IOWA. 


29 


30 


BUSINESS  ADVANTAGES  OF 


Water  Ways.  Great  as  are  Davenport’s  water  lines  of 
transportation,  the  possibilities  of  the 
future  are  still  greater.  The  Illinois  and  Mississippi  Canal  to 
connect  the  great  interior  water  line  with  the  Great  Lakes,  is  a 
great  national  work  now  well  under  way.  The  present  appro- 
priation of  a million  dollars  for  this  grand  improvement  will 
construct  enough  of  this  water-way  to  bring  the  coal  of  Illinois 
to  our  market  and  thus  aid  our  manufacturers  with  cheap  fuel. 
The  future  great  benefit  of  this  splendid  water-way,  when  com- 
pleted, must  bring  extraordinary  development  to  Davenport. 

To  give  an  accurate  knowledge  of  the  city  of  Davenport  and 
of  all  branches  of  its  commercial  and  manuacfturing  interests 
would  require  a multiplicity  of  details.  This  would  mean  a 
publication  beyond  reasonable  limits.  The  foregoing  general 
description,  we  trust,  will  give  a correct  idea  of  what  Daven- 
port really  is,  as  a place  of  residence  and  as  a field  for  business 
enterprise  and  the  investment  of  capital.  That  it  is  at  this 
time  a metropolis  of  trade;  that  its  business  is  increasing  year 
by  year,  and  that  its  march  of  improvement  is  onward,  are  facts 
that  cannot  be  questioned. 

The  same  general  opportunities  that  made  Davenport  pros- 
perous in  the  past  are  present  to-day,  aiding  an  increase  of 
trade  and  wealth.  Besting  securely  on  the  solid  foundation  of 
a trade  constantly  increasing,  Davenport  offers  to  the  new-comer 
and  investor  advantages  of  a certain  and  substantial  nature. 

Persons  desiring  any  further  information  relative  to  Daven- 
port are  cordially  invited  to  apply  to  the  secretary  of  the 
Davenport  Business  Men’s  Association. 


GAS  WORKS. 


DAVENPORT,  IOWA. 


31 


LIBRARY 
OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS 


